European Union

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News about European Union, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 30, 2015

Germany's success in convincing allies to embrace austerity as core solution to Greek fiscal crisis is a testament to its expert brinksmanship and political prowess; so-called 'Berlin consensus' can be seen in widespread aversion to government spending as a solution to economic woes in Europe's liberal and conservative governments alike; consensus has solidified despite opinion in United States and Britain that budget cuts are holding back recovery. MORE

Jul. 30, 2015

Stream of migrants, fleeing war and poverty created by numerous conflicts in Africa and Middle East, have flooded Europe, with thousands making daily attempts to cross from France to Britain through the Channel Tunnel; European Union members, criticizing each other for their role in crisis, plan emergency talks for more robust remedy. MORE

Jul. 26, 2015

Editorial outlines many ways that Greek exit from euro would be disastrous for Greece, its creditors and European Union; questions how Greek exit will be avoided given burdensome conditions of bailout package. MORE

Jul. 25, 2015

Op-Ed article by Prof Hans-Werner Sinn argues best option for pulling Greece out of its economic decline is exit from eurozone, accompanied by debt relief, humanitarian aid and option of eventual return to euro; contends Greece needs strong devaluation in order to compete economically, and return to its drachma currency would allow that to happen; holds Greece's exit from eurozone would not prove as catastrophic as some fear. MORE

Jul. 20, 2015

German Chancellor Angela Merkel calls for quick resumption of talks on Greece's bailout package, emphasizing that Greece's debt will not be reduced but further relief measures may be possible once situation has stabilized. MORE

Jul. 18, 2015

News Analysis; Germany, long seen as reliable powerhouse of European Union, risks losing trust of other countries with its unforgiving attitude toward Greece; some see crisis as transformative moment in which EU is becoming more coercive under influence of Germany. MORE

Jul. 17, 2015

Many Europeans say Germany is showing harsh edge in negotiating new agreement to bail out Greece by insisting on austerity measures and not firmly committing to giving Greece debt relief; new discussions about Greece leaving euro zone brings pushback from Germans themselves, many of whom believe keeping Greece in eurozone is critical to health of European Union. MORE

Jul. 15, 2015

The Upshot; International Monetary Fund memorandum stating that it cannot participate in new Greek bailout unless Europe agrees to huge debt relief for country is essentially an admission that eurozone is dysfunctional in its current form; all three alternatives laid out in memorandum would establish something akin to fiscal union in which wealthier countries would pay to sustain Greek economy. MORE

Jul. 15, 2015

Several nations are reconsidering their bids to join the European common currency in the wake of Greek financial crisis and hard-line response from Continent's major powers; countries like Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary will now freshly weigh value of currency against substantial surrender of sovereignty involved. MORE

Jul. 15, 2015

Op-Ed article by Prof Jacob Soll notes that Germany seems far more angry at Greece over its economic crisis than other countries, asserting that such resentment is warping views of German economists; holds Germany refuses to acknowledge how its insistence on austerity has contributed to situation or how Greece's exit from eurozone would lead to chaos and suffering; says Germany's insistence on seeing themselves as victims points to cultural disconnect and flawed judgement. MORE

Jul. 14, 2015

News Analysis; latest attempt to keep Greece in European Union by granting it another bailout has increased rift in EU; remains uncertain if EU can now move beyond many years of focusing on euro crisis and concentrate on other pressing issues. MORE

Jul. 14, 2015

Editorial laments that Greek Prime Min Alexis Tsipras caved to creditors' toughest demands; criticizes way Tsipras has navigated negotiations, including last-minute decision to hold referendum and subsequent capitulation, which went against will of Greek people; warns that Germany and other eurozone countries have done little to definitely solve crisis and that deal Greek government will probably accept will only make crisis worse. MORE

Jul. 13, 2015

European negotiators press Greece to accept new economic concessions as part of bailout deal worth tens of billions of euros; many measures under review, including a temporary exit from eurozone, are harsher than those rejected by Greek voters in referendum; some see demands as strategy to force Prime Min Alexis Tsipras from office, though there have been some signs of progress on deal. MORE

Jul. 12, 2015

European finance ministers end meeting without agreeing on whether Greece should be given its third bailout since 2010; they plan to reconvene amid deep divide over trusting country with enormous new debt. MORE

Jul. 11, 2015

Greek Parliament approves Prime Min Alexis Tsipras's plan for three-year, $59 billion rescue package with stringent austerity terms; analysts say European creditors will still be skeptical that Greece's fractured government will be capable of adhering to difficult economic action. MORE

Jul. 10, 2015

Europe antitrust officials file charges against MasterCard, accusing firm of setting artificially high fees for credit card transactions in European Union. MORE

Jul. 9, 2015

Greece requests three-year loan from eurozone’s bailout fund, but does not publicly specify an amount or a plan for strengthening the government's finances; Eurozone leaders have rebuked Greek Prime Min Alexis Tspiras for not providing a new and specific proposal to secure additional bailout money, and European leaders are approaching deadline for negotiations, after which Greece may face bankrupt future outside eurozone. MORE

Jul. 9, 2015

Both Greece and European Union leaders have been sidestepping responsibility for final decision as to whether Greece will stay in the euro system. MORE

Jul. 9, 2015

Op-Ed article by Prof Bruce Ackerman criticizes Germany and Chancellor Angela Merkel for failing to rise to challenge of Greek crisis, first test of German leadership since end of World War II; suggests Merkel failed to understand strategic importance of Greece and treated crisis as merely economic one; urges Merkel to encourage International Monetary Fund to mediate dispute as it is the singular institution that both sides find credible. MORE

Jul. 8, 2015

Op-Ed article by Jochen Bittner submits European Union has more to lose by scrambling to keep Greece in eurozone than by allowing country to quietly slip out of it; argues that by voting against terms of bailout deal Greece has broken contract that keeps euro zone together and asserts that accommodating Greece sets dangerous precedent. MORE

Jul. 7, 2015

Op-Ed article by former Greek Finance Min Gikas Hardouvelis examines events that led to rise of Greek Prime Min Alexis Tsipras's Syriza party and to rejection by Greek voters of European bailout agreement; underscores devastating consequences that Greek exit from euro would have, and calls on Tsipras's government to work constructively with European creditors. MORE

Jul. 7, 2015

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, de facto leader of Europe, faces test of her leadership as she must maintain European unity in wake of Greece's rejection of bailout terms and keep euro intact; she is seen as paramount in guiding Europe as it confronts variety of challenges beyond Greece's financial crisis. MORE

Jul. 7, 2015

Germany holds firm on hard line with Greece after it rejects bailout terms from creditors, but rift grows between European leaders as some express leniency on austerity moves for country, which is near financial collapse; Greece will likely default in July if deal is not reached soon. MORE

Jul. 7, 2015

Editorial warns European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. that fate of Greece is in their hands in wake of rejection by Greek voters of bailout terms; underscores necessity of restructuring Greek debt so that country stays in eurozone; acknowledges that Greek officials are responsible for country's problems, but notes that European leaders have mismanaged crisis and made it worse. MORE

Jul. 6, 2015

Greeks gather in Syntagma Square in Athens to celebrate surprisingly strong rejection of European bailout offer in referendum; common sentiment among revelers is that country is fed up with humiliation and suffering imposed upon them by European creditors and many view the 'no' vote as one of national pride. MORE

Jul. 6, 2015

Greek voters overwhelmingly reject terms of bailout deal offered by country's creditors, with 61 percent voting against further austerity measures in referendum; result is victory for Prime Min Alexis Tsipras, but it does little to resolve future of country, which still faces possible default, financial collapse, and exit from eurozone and European Union; some both in country and abroad view 'no' vote as point of no return. MORE

Jul. 6, 2015

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column praises Greek voters for rejecting demands of European creditors, outcome which will benefit not only Greece but European Union as well; suggests Greek exit from euro could be best of bad options. MORE

Jul. 4, 2015

Greek voters are being inundated with ads depicting doomsday scenarios should 'no' vote prevail on referendum regarding European bailout terms; role of news media, which many Greeks view to be on 'yes' side, has become one of most contentious issues in debate over referendum. MORE

Jul. 3, 2015

Greek Prime Min Alexis Tsipras's decision to call referendum on hard-fought debt deal increases risk that country might fall out of euro, but insiders say he was left with no other choice; Germany and International Monetary Fund reportedly hardened their positions, instead of bending as deadline neared for Greece to make payment. MORE

Jul. 3, 2015

European leaders who have had difficulty dealing with Greek Prime Min Alexis Tsipras are pushing for 'yes' vote in Greece's referendum, in hopes of his ouster. MORE

Jul. 2, 2015

European finance ministers hold meeting to discuss what to do about crisis in Greece, but session, much like many that have come before, yields no breakthroughs or solutions; chaos in country seems to confirm observations that Prime Min Alexis Tsipras's government is flailing and that European Union led by Germany is allowing debate over procedures and rules to get in way of any solution. MORE

Jul. 2, 2015

Announcement by Greek Prime Min Alexis Tsipras's government that they now are willing to acquiesce and accept some key terms of bailout package from European Central Bank comes as surprise to many and lends confusion to already convoluted discussion of Greece's future; European leaders, tired of issue, do not readily agree to any solution. MORE

Jul. 1, 2015

Op-Ed article by Prof Robert Zaretsky compares standoff between Greece and European Union over Greece's debt to clash between city-state of Athens and small island of Melos in 416 BC; argues both situations show large, powerful alliance demanding that smaller body join it and pay dues or be crushed; holds both scenarios raise issues of national sovereignty and autocratic rule, with Germany and European Central Bank representing latter in contemporary times. MORE

Jun. 30, 2015

European Union, day before Greece is set to default on repayment of bailout loan, makes last-minute proposal that offers some concessions in return for Greek Prime Min Alex Tsipras's acceptance of creditors' demands, which he has already rejected; Greek officials do not indicate how government will respond. MORE

Jun. 30, 2015

Bulgaria, like other of the poorest European Union countries, shows little sympathy for Greece as it negotiates with creditors over repayment of bailout loan. MORE

Jun. 30, 2015

Editorial claims central question being put to confused and battered Greek population in referendum proposed by Prime Min Alexis Tsipras is whether to abandon euro or not; suggests both European leaders and Greek voters should commit to keeping country in euro, but notes only way for that to succeed is if eurozone leaders and International Monetary Fund reverse decision on debt forgiveness and give nation a chance at real reform. MORE

Jun. 30, 2015

Andrew Ross Sorkin DealBook column argues that hard line taken by Europe and European Central Bank in Greek debt negotiations is in part meant to set example for other debtor nations, like Portugal, Spain and Italy; observes that ECB has interest in making possible Greek exit as messy as possible to deter other nations from similar path. MORE

Jun. 29, 2015

Greeks hoard cash, gasoline and other goods as fears of default and being pushed out of eurozone heighten when debt negotiations between Greek government and European Union break down; point of contention is increase in austerity measures, including deeper cuts to pensions. MORE

Jun. 29, 2015

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column observes Greece has arrived at point of no return in its debt negotiations, and argues it should vote no in referendum on latest creditor demands and prepare itself to leave common European currency; contends nation has no real future within European Union's austerity-obsessed climate, and that much of the potential damage from exit has already occurred. MORE

Jun. 27, 2015

European leaders end two-day summit meeting in Brussels about Continent's migration crisis with pledge to spread 40,000 refugees across nations, though plan lacks any details; meeting exposed angry passions and deep divisions among countries, made more fraught by failure of Greek debt negotiations. MORE

Jun. 25, 2015

The Upshot; differing reactions in America to bankruptcies of RadioShack and Lehman Brothers offer illustration of two possible consequences of failure of European negotiators to extend bailout program for Greek economy; negotiations have been premised on idea that failure would result in massive shock to eurozone and world economy, much like dramatic Lehman Brothers bankruptcy led to massive ripple effects, but exit could ultimately be less risky. MORE

Jun. 25, 2015

Looming decision by European Union to spend $270 billion to bailout Greece or allow it to leave eurozone and become susceptible to Russian manipulation has potential to affect European economy and its military security; key player is German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose leadership of both Germany and EU is already under close scrutiny; decision could well define her legacy after nearly a decade at helm. MORE

Jun. 25, 2015

Eurozone finance ministers end meeting on Greece's bailout negotiations after just one hour; abrupt ending emphasizes severe challenges to Greece's solvency. MORE

Jun. 24, 2015

European Union is trying to end threat of Great Britain's departure from bloc; British Prime Min David Cameron wants pledge 'ever closer union' stricken from treaties. MORE

Jun. 23, 2015

Russian officials accuse European Union of anti-Russian bias for announcing renewal of sanctions on same day country was honoring Soviet victims of World War II; vows to extend ban on European agricultural imports. MORE

Jun. 23, 2015

European Union leaders meeting in Brussels are confident that some deal will be reached on debt relief for Greece but are not optimistic about country's long-term stability; also fear government may not follow through with any agreements made. MORE

Jun. 22, 2015

Violent anti-immigration protests in Slovakia and gains by right-wing Danish People's Party in Denmark's elections contribute to sense of fragmentation across European Union as it struggles to keep Greece from default and hold its currency together. MORE

Jun. 22, 2015

Emergency summit meeting of eurozone leaders in Brussels will focus on question of whether debtor nations like Greece should be extended more credit for sake of keeping eurozone intact; Greek dilemma has highlighted way European Central Bank has kept Greek banking system from collapse even as it has been central to pushing country to default by refusing debt-relief. MORE

Jun. 20, 2015

Unlikely strong showing by far-right Danish People's Party in nation's elections is latest indication of lack of confidence in traditional political institutions in both country and European Union; concerns have been raised about government and EU's ability to address issues like sluggish economy and surging immigration. MORE

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